A Season of Celebration

"You shall take... the beautiful fruit (Esrog), a palm frond (Lulav), myrtle twigs and willow branches of the stream – and rejoice for seven days before the Lord your God." (Leviticus 23:40)

Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts seven days. The word Sukkot means "booths", referring to a temporary dwelling. It is a time when many Jewish people live, eat, and sleep outdoors, in their Sukkah, “under the stars”. The holiday is also known as the "Feast of the Tabernacles". It is a season of joy and unity with G-d and for Jewish people everywhere.

The citron, or Esrog, is one of the four species, and a prominent symbol of the holiday of Sukkot.

The Esrog fruit is part of the citrus family and looks like an oversized lemon- it is about five or six inches long. The word "Esrog" is also often spelled “etrog”.

To understand the special mitzvah of the four species at Sukkot, visit Aish.com.

What to do with your estrog after Sukkot?• Make a fragrant pomander and use it for havdallah• Brew luscious esrog liqueur• Prepare esrog preserves• Let your esrog dry out each year and add each year's fruit to a decorative glass bowl. As the years pass by, each esrog in your collection will be a memory of the joyful Sukkot celebrated with family and friends.